Comrade Sklyanski! I am unwell and have had to take to bed.

Therefore, answer this with the messenger.

The delay in the offensive in the Voronezh direction (from August 1 to 10!!!) is monstrous. Denikin's successes are enormous.

What is the matter? Sokolnikov said that we have four times more forces there (near Voronezh).

What then is the matter? How could we have been so negligent?

Tell the Commander-in-Chief that this is unacceptable. Serious attention must be paid to this.

Should we not send such a telegram to the RVS of the Southern Front (copy to Smilga):
In cipher.

It is absolutely impermissible to delay the offensive, for this delay will hand over all of Ukraine to Denikin and will destroy us. You are answerable for every extra day and even hour of delay in launching the offensive.

Report immediately your explanation and the deadline for when you will finally begin decisive offensive operations.

Chairman of the Council of Workers' and Peasants' Defense Lenin

Written August 10, 1919

First published in 1942

in Lenin Miscellany XXXIV

Printed from the manuscript